Nurse Practitioner-Driven Optimization of Presurgical Testing.

Nurse practitioners play a pivotal role as members of the perioperative team. This article outlines the evolution of presurgical testing from the vantage of generic testing to one that is tailored to the patient's clinical presentation and the type of surgery to be performed, whether it is high, intermediate, or low risk. Emphasis is placed on indicated testing, screening tools to identify patients at risk for perioperative complications, the optimization of patients before undergoing major cancer surgery, and enhanced recovery after surgery. The goal was to bring awareness to our colleagues that evidence-based practice defines the present role of the nurse practitioner in this setting and evidence will shape its future direction.